Oil pan



C. L. M CUEN June 3; I930.

OIL PAN Filed June 8, 1928 Patented June 3, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES I. MCCUEN, 0F LANSING, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL MOTORS COR- PORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE on. (PAN Application filed June 8, 1928. Serial No. 283,900.

This invention relates to improvements in crankcase oil pans for internal combustion engines and involves the provision of a series of sediment wells or traps in the bottom of the oil pan.

Due to the fact that the lubricating oil becomes contaminated and dirty in use the common practice in the past has been to change orreplace the oil supply after a certain short period of useI By theemployment of sediment wells or traps in accordance with the present invention, the dirt particles suspended in the oil that tend to settle. out at times when the engine stands idle will be entrapped and held against recirculation through the engine lubricating system. Since the amount of dirt picked up by the oil between idle intervals is small the oil will remain comparatively clean and free from impurities for a greater length.

of time. V t

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide an oil pan that will be simple and economical in manufacture, easy to assemble and install either on existing engines or as standard equipment on new engines, eflicient and care-free in use, and

which will be unlikelyto get out of order 1 V crankcase 2, and the character 3 marks the or require the replacement of parts. v

It is a further object of the invention to provide a unitary assembly of spaced plates "vide a crankcase pan having a bottom wall that may be detachably secured on the bottom of the oil pan to afliord a plurality of small sediment traps-which may be readlly removed at. such times as may be necessary to facilitate the cleaning or disposition of accumulated sediment.

Another object isto provide apad or matting of flexible fibrous material for interposition -between the plate assembly and bottom wall of the pan to afford a seal for the bottom edges of the plates against the escape of dirt particles and to whichthe;

dirt particles will readily adhere. V

A further object of the invention is to prothat has inclined portions leading to a sump for the pump forming a part of a pressure teed lubricating system, the plate assembly bef eie mentioned being secured to such i11 clined portions and forming the sediment wells, whereby a greater supply ofoil' than would be ordinarily employed will not be required because of the rovision of the sediment wells. Except 'or a comparatively small amount of oil that would be contained in the sediment wells, all the oil in the pan would be available for circulation to the lubricatin system.

Other 0 jects and advantages will be apparent from the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein,

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevation of an engine cylinder block and crankcase with the oil pan associated therewith shown in section after having been taken on line l1 of Figure 2. V

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of the oil pan on line 22 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view of one end of the plate assembly secured in the oil pan.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the plate assembly showing one method of connecting the parts together.

Referring tov the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates an engine cylinderv block having a crankcase pan or oil reservoir that is removably secured on the bottom of the crankcase 2. The bottom of the crankcase pan consists of portions 4 and 5 that converge or are inclined downwardly from the sides to .a substantially horizontal central portion 6 in which is located the drain plug 7. Secured to each of the inclined portions 4-5 is a tray or assembly of battle walls comprising a pair of spaced side members 8. and a succession of plates 9 of substantially ogee connected as by welding, with the side members 8 and in spaced relation with each other.

The spaces between the succession of Z- the restrietedopening's between the succeedit or Z-shape which extend'between, and are ing platesand into the intermediate dead spaces or wells where they are trapped and held against recirculation when the engine is again started because of the lack of turbulence offthe liquid in the wells; A felt pad or mattinglO is preferably placd between the lower edges of the plates and the bottom of the pan, andthe studs or bolts 11 serve to detach'ably hold the assembly of plates in place. When-it is desired to removethe ac-,

cumulation of sediment in the traps, the pan is taken 01?, and upon detachment of the bolts 11, the plate assembly, as well as the matting 10, can be lifted out and flushed At the junctures of the inclined portions 4 and 5 with the central portion 6 there are 7 secured, as by welding or soldering, a pair ofspace d partitions or baflie walls 12 which 20' plurality of openings or apertures'18 are provided in each wall 12 at substantiallythe height of the end'most plates of the trap unit to: permit entrance of. liquid into the sump .and also provide an additional sediment well betweenthe wall and the adjacent plate,

Thepresentdevice is intended to take the place of customary oil filtersnow in use and it;.will find particular application on engines used 'for propelling motor vehicles or those that arenot in constant operation. During the idle intervals between operating periods the dirt particles will tend to separatefrom theoiland drop into and be trapped by the sediment wellss Since 1 the amount of impurities pickedup the oil during a single pe at perio i no m uy quit small will be obviousfthat the dirt particles will precipitated and. entrapped, as quickly as 7. they enterthe'oil supply. For this, reason the ,na jof th lubricating 011, is mate ially prolonged and the'necjessity for frequent re placement is eliminated] With the average motor 1 vehicles Qe'ngine v the accumulation of sediinent will not call for removal until after from two to three years of usage.

'I claim:

A liquid r'eservoir, a, suceession' of spaced ba'fiie walls in said reservoir form- I z e a plu al ty l Se m nt "t ps, n a

'cushioning strip in thebottOm or each trap.

"2. In an internal combustion engine subject to A inherent vibrations upon operation,

auloilpan halving: bottom wall, a succes-i sipn. of v spaced cooperating "wall to "provide a plurality 0' sediment 9 traps, and cushioning material interposed between the baflies and said bottom wall and extending across the bottom traps. I

3, A liquid reservoir, a tray removably secured on the bottom thereof and compris- Iing span of spaced side members, and a or the plurality of plates substantially Z shaped in 1 vertical cross section mounted' on and erg;

tending between said side members in corresponding spaced succession to provide sediment wells. 7 7' r l. An oil pan for internal combustion engines, including a-bottom wall having a substantially horizontal central po rtion and downwardly inclined "side, portions, ment traps associated with said inclined por? tions andconsisting of a plurality of plates of Z shape in vertical cross section arranged in spaced SUCCBSSlQIl, a pair of spaced walls secured to said central portlon having P g$ therein at substantially the'lieight' of the lowermost trap,- a cover plate secured to said walls over the intervening space and projecting therebeyond over the endmost sediment traps,and forming with said walls a pump sump. v

5. In anlnternal cooperatingtherewith to forln a plurality ofjtraps for settlings, including a group of amtuss a Ba -me or a V like, an oil pan having a bottom wall, means substantially 'Z-shaped plates arranged 7 i regular spaced succession, with the c'orre- 7 spending upper and lower end portions of the several 2 plates in spaced parallel planes, the adjacent endportions of'the lower set formin one withfanother, the side walls of the several traps jand the-end portions of the upper set [cooperating with 'the'inteis mediate ,portions of the" Z-"shaped plates "to guide theosettlings into the traps, said intermediate portions lying in substantially the same plane, providing oovers'for the tr'ap's and being'o'f alength slightly less than the space between succeeding plates' so that each one intermediate portion ends short of the next;

into the trap- I 6. The. structure "claim 5lwher ein the intermediate portion offeach -plate is"ifn'- clined u wardly from the loweriend portion to theupper end portion.'f

frfThestructureof clalm e tiii he b t om QJ 1a i 8. In internal combustion engine, an oilpan having a bottom wal1, mean c op- I adj ac'entplate "to afio'rda restricted opening I 5 and a cushion erating' therewith to arm a plurality or;

traps for settlings', including a group of plates arranged in spaced succe s'sion and having corresponding angular portions, 7 with one setfo'fthe "corresponding portions extending upwardly from the bottom wall of j'tlie 'p'an and forming one portion with the, ,nert, adjac t p r i n t e des Wall of the traps, and 'ot'her set offangular'por plate.

tions forming covers for the traps, each cover portion extending toward but ending short of the next succeeding plate to provide a restricted entrance opening to the trap therebeneath.

9. In an internal combustion engine, an oil pan having a bottom wall, means cooperating therewith to form a plurality of traps for settlings, including a group of plates arranged in spaced succession to form the side walls of the several traps, and an angular cover portion on the upper end of each plate projecting toward and ending in spaced relation with the next succeeding 10.' The structure of claim 9 wherein each angular portion terminates in an upturned flange thatcooperates with an adjacent angular portion to provide a flaring mouth to the trap entrance.

11. The structure of claim 9 wherein a felt pad covers the bottom of each trap.

12. In an internal combustion engine, an

oil pan having a bottom wall, means cooperating therewith to form a plurality of traps for settlings, including a group of plates arranged in spaced succession to form the side walls of the several traps, and an angular portion on the upper end of each plate, projectingin an inclined plane toward the next succeeding plate and ending in spaced relation therewith to afford a cover for and a restricted entrance to the trap therebeneath and an inclined guide to the entrance of the next adjacent trap.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHARLES L. MoCUEN. 

